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Topic: No more Molex Connectors |
Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
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Posted 2 Aug 2000 2:47 am |
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We have discussed (and cussed) the lowly Molex connector that was used for years by Peavey.
I've been in contact with one of Peavey's Guitar and Bass Amp Design Supervisors and he advises Peavey has went to a different connector for the new 1000 and 2000 amps. It is an IDC connector with square pins and they have migrated to that connector over the last 6 to 8 years for all their new products.
He mentioned the older amps, e.g. Nashville 400 was designed and produced quite a while ago and when they made the change they did not change to the newer connector in the Nashville 400 since it was a "mature product" (at or near the end of it's production).
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Bob Metzger
From:
Waltham (Boston), MA, USA
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Posted 3 Aug 2000 9:55 pm
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Jack, The molex connector is just that, a connector. We have discussed how to maintain this connector via re-tensioning and cleaning. These procedures are within the grasp of every guy who has soldered his own guitar cord and even though the Molex connector is maybe 'bad form' on the part of Peavey on a technical level, on a practical level, it's maintence is trivial and shouldn't pose a problem to anyone who is paying some attention.
I understand Peavey's reasoning about plowing it's resources into older products. This steals man-hours away from new/present/future products. I own a Nash 400 and I'd like to see them perfect it but I understand, from a manufacturer's point of view, why they don't.
Bob |
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Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
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Posted 4 Aug 2000 2:15 am
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Bob, I was told by an Electronics Engineer friend that the Molex connector was originally intended to be used in DC voltage applications, not audio signal.
Peavey did do away with the connector on the speaker wiring and went to soldering the connecting wires directly to the chassis pins. At least they recognized the problem there.
Most musicians are not electronics techs and although many do work on their own cables, there are more that do not. Having worked as an amp tech there are many that don't know how or won't even change a fuse. I've also seen a lot of botched attempts at repairs also. However, I've worked in "repair depots" for both Motorola FM 2-way radios and in a NASA PC board module repair depot and a lot of "electronics techs" screw things up too.
On additional comment. Many times people will fix things, such as the flakey molex connector and go on - never say anything and the manufacturer never gets the feedback from the customers or service centers that there is a problem area and their database is "empty". Consequently the manufacturer continues to produce the product with the assumption all is well. Had there been a lot of reports of problems in a certain area, the manufacturer would have probably at least looked at the problem and maybe even changed production to address the problem area. [This message was edited by Jack Stoner on 04 August 2000 at 07:37 AM.] |
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Bob Metzger
From:
Waltham (Boston), MA, USA
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Posted 4 Aug 2000 3:56 pm
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That's interesting, Jack. I didn't know that Molex connectors weren't originally intended for audio signals. BTW, I concur with what you are saying 100%.
Bob |
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Lefty
From:
Grayson, Ga.
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Posted 5 Aug 2000 2:09 pm
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| I work for an emergency lighting company as a product design engineer. We use molex cable connectors for DC voltage conections, battery conections,lamp connections, and some AC line connections. I don't know the particular connector in question, but their products have served us well in the proper application. We did have a problem with an AC connector not serviving a UL test at specified max. voltage. All connectors are subject to corrode, especially if not gold plated, or cleaned with a cleaner/lubricant periodically. |
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Mike Brown
From:
Meridian, Mississippi USA
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Posted 7 Aug 2000 1:17 pm
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Jack is correct. We have been using a Molex type of connector since the early '80's and it has worked pretty well if I might say so myself considering the thousands and thousands and thousands of products that we have manufactured since that time.
I have stated in previous posts that our competitor amplifier companies simply add the increased labor costs involved to hardwire an amp to the final price.
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